Automatic electric despatch system.



J. DESGHAMPS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DESPATUH SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 001 28, 1912. 1,078,035.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913 k 0 I kl v Ziai l? Wilma/sow A 4%a/Mo@ COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CQ.,WASHINGTON, n. c.

enema Turns nEscnA'r/irs,

or mars, finance.

Specification of Iiett'ei's Patent.

PatentedNov. 11, 1913.

Original application filed January 26; 1912, Serial No. 673,511, Divided and this application filed October 28, 1912. Serial No. 728,253. 1

which it appertains to make and use the SitlTlG.

tain improvements in the system of automatic operation of electric cars set forth in my pending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial Number 673,511, filed January 26, 1912, wherei the stopping, retarding, starting and acceleration of electric cars isc'ontrolled automatically by suitable stationary current-modifying de vices placed along the track;

This application is a division of my above named earlier application for patent,

In the automatic car operating system referred to the cars receive the impelling current from sectional feeding conductors placed along the line of travel, each section being arranged to supply the current through suitable resistances or other current modifiers, whereby the energy supplied along each given portion of the line is made proportional to the conditions existing in that portion of the line. system of this kind, it is desirable that accidental collisions between successive cars or trains should be avoided and the present invention relates particularly to means whereby this end is carried out automatically.

Described in broad terms, the improved system in question comprises a railway of i the class described wherein the clos ng of any one section of operating circuit is made ergy transniittable to a preceding section of place.

My invention may be" used either with di-'- The present invention has relation to oer of different potentials.

It is clear that,in a

rect or alternating current and the modification of operating conditions may OOIiSlShlll changes of voltage or res stance or in rents are used. e V,

In the following description, I have set forth certain preferred embodiments of the invention as carried out in that form thereof wherein the motors on the cars are supplied with separate exciting currents for thefield '55" changes in frequency where alternating curmagnets (inductors) and armatures respective'ly but it is to'be understood that my roader' claims arenot confined in their scope to systems presentingthese specific QOIiClItIQIlS: Y

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of my invention,- and Fig.- 2 is a sim lar view of apor'tion of such a system wherein it is found expedient to apply a braking action to the following car, i In the particular preferred form shown in the drawings'the cars are supposed to be driven by two main generators, preferably These generators may feed the whole or only a part of the totalfline. a

The generator a is a high tension gen-y orator forthe armatures (Z (Z ofthe c'ar motors, and the generator Z2 is a relatively low tension generator for the inductors of field magnets 6 e One terminal .of genorator a is connected to the main feed wire or lead L,the opposite terminal beingprefer'ably connected to the return rails, as

shown. One terminal of the generator I) is connected to the mainlead T, while the re: turn rails are connected to the minal of said generator. t

As shown in Fig. 1, the various field mag:- net coils e 6 etc, of the car motors rice opposite ter:

ceive currentby suitable shoes or trolleys to automatically modify the degree of enmain lead T, and thec'urrent returns in a well known manner from each field coil" through the wheels and tracksf It is also a clear that each armature d dgete, on the f various cars receivecurrent from successive celer'ated, or both of these efiects shall take T T etc, which aresupplied from the circuit or to a following section, or both; whereby, when two carsare near enoughion insulated feeding circuits S S and that I the armature circuits are also closed through return-wire may be substituted for the car tracks org-ground if desired. j

My [invention comprises means whereby,

as shown,"as circuit is closed through a given sectional feed wire,-automatic means are at once energized which act suitably to modify thecircuit conditions in adjacent sections. In the preferred form shown the field mag- I net circuits on each section affect circuit conditions onthe feed-section ahead of a given car, while the armature clrcuits affect circuit conditions on the following feed-section. A

double automatic action is thus secured. It

' is tobe understood that I claim each of these be used together.

actionsin this connection, and that it is not essential to my invention that the two should It is also to be understood thatI do not confine myself to the particular forms ofauto-matic circuit-modifying devices indicated. I v

In the particular example diagrammatl cally shown in'Fig. 1 the car or train on 5. armature'terminals is lowered. Current is section S is supposed to be normally somewhat retarded by introduction of a fixed resistanceA whereby the voltage across the normally led through the resistance A 'by a wire connected to the main armature lead L at the point f and by a low resistance short circuit around the auxiliary resistance coil I other words the magnet 0, may be either in series or shunt with respect to the armature al It is obvious, then, that, so long as this magnet circuit exists, the magnet 0 will attract the armature m carried by the lever Z,

andwill open the short circuit around the resistancem by causing said lever to as sume the position Z This latter resistance will then assume its auxiliary function, and will aid in cutting down the voltage across the terminals of the motor armature (Z thus retarding the following car to that extent.

The field magnet'e of the front car is fed from the section T which normally receives its current through a short circuit around the resistance n which short circuit in cludes the lever is normally in the position 70 s The electromagnet 0 similarly to magnet 0, is in a shunt or a series connection with the feeding current through the following field magnet e ,.and therefore, so long as this latter circuit exists, the voltage across the terminals of the forward fieldmagnet c, is

reduced by the resistance n This, of course, weakens the field magnet of the forward motor, and accelerates movement of the car. The two operations thus described serve to enlarge the separation between the cars when they approach each other too nearly.

' My invention is not limited to an arrangement in which the automatic circuit modifier for any one section T or T is operated by closure of circuit to the next adjacent section wire. Cases may occur wherein it would be desirable to retard or accelerate a. car sep arated from another by a distance greater than that between adjacent sections, and my invention is, applicable to such cases.

In some instances (as where a car is descending a slope or is approaching a. station) it is. well to place its motor armature on a closed circuit independent of the generator, thereby establishing a braking action, and in Fig. 2 I have shown an example of a means within my invention, whereby a following car may be retarded automatically while being braked in the manner just mentioned. In this figure, the following car has its armature circuit closed through the normal resistance composed of the sum of the resistances B and R and the lever Z of the automatic circuitmodifier is in the retracted position 2,. When, however, the magnet coils 0 are energized by closure of a shunt or series circuit to a preceding armature sectional feed T the magnet draws this lever into the position Z and the auxiliary resistance coilR is shortecircuited, thereby increasing the current through the armature of the following car, and increasing the braking or retarding effect.

The automatic circuit modifiers shown are simply examples of forms suited to the particular system of electrical distribution assumed for the drawings of this case.

It will, of course, be understood that, where other distribution systems are adopted suitable modifications of my devices will be adopted; all within the spirit and scope of this invention.

WhatI claim is- 1. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, two mutually insulated feed sections therefor, an automatic circuit modifier adapted to modify the motor circuit conditions on one of said sections and a circuit for affecting said modifier adapted to be closed through a car on the other of said sections, substantially as described. 7

2. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, two mutually insulated feed sections therefor, an automatic circuit modifier adapted to modify the energizing circuit of a motor on one of said sections, and a circuit for affecting said modifier adapted w beclosed through cat n the other of said section s, substantially described.

3. An electric despatch system comp'rising in combination'electric. cars, two mutually insulated feed sections therefor, an automatic circuit modifier adapted to inodify the armature circuit of a motor'on' one of said sections, and a circuit for affecting said modifier adapted to be closed through amotor ,on the othermf-said sectionsfsubstantially as described. l

4:. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, two mutually insulated feed sections therefor, an automatic circuit modifier adapted to modify the field magnet circuit of a motor on one of said sections, and a circuit for affecting said modifier adapted tobe closed through a motor on the other of said sections, substantially as described.

5. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, separate main leads for the field magnets and armatures of the car motors respectively, a pair of sectional wires for a leading car, a separate pair of sectional wires for a following car, an automatic circuit modifier controlling the circuit conditions of one of said following car wires, and electrical means for governing said circuit modifier in circuit with one of said leading car wires, substantially as described.

6. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, separate main leads for the field magnets and armatures of the car motors respectively, a pair of sectional wires for a leading car, a separate pair of sectional wires for afollowing car, an automatic circuit modifier controlling the circuit conditions of one of said leading ear wires and electrical means for governing said circuit modifier in circuit with one of said following ear wires, substantially as described.

7. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, separate main leads for the field magnets and armatures of the car motors respectively, a pair of sectional wires for a leading car, a separate pair of sectional wires for a following car, an automatic circuit modifier controlling the circuit conditions of one of said following car wires, a second automatic circuit controller controlling the circuit conditions of one of said leading ear wires, electrical means in circuit with one of said leading ear wires for governing said first named circuit modifier, and electrical means in circuit with one of said following car wires for governing said second named circuit modifier, substantially as described.

8. An electrical despatch system comprising in combination cars having electric proaellin meets a main lead aha sectional wires for feeding the field magnets or said motors, a separateinain lead and sectional wlres for-feed ng the armatures of sa d 1110-.

tors, a generator connected to said first nametlmain lead, a generator connected t6 said second named mam lead, feedmg c1r-' 'cuits from the armaturemain lead to each .cuiamo'difier, said operating circuit joining the armature maln lead to an armature sectional wire other than that which is controlled by the corresponding circuit modifier, substantially as described.

9. An electric despatch system comprising in combination cars having electric propelling motors, a main lead and sectional wires for feeding the field magnets of said motors, a separate main lead and sectional wires for feeding the armatures of said motors, a generator connected tosaid first namedfi main lead, a generator connected to said second named main lead, feeding circuits from the field magnet main leads to each field magnet sectional wire, an automatic circuit modifier for one of said feeding circuits, and an operating circuit for said modifier joining the field magnet main lead to a field magnet sectional wire other than that which is controlled by the corresponding modifier, substantially as described.

10. An. electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars, two mutually insulated feed sections therefor, means for conveying electric current to one of said feed sections including an auxiliary resistance, means for normally maintaining a short circuit around said resistance, an electric-mag net adapted to open said short circuit when energized, and a circuit including the coils of said electro-magnet which circuit is connected with the other of said feed sections and is adapted to be closed through a car energized through said section, substantially as described.

11. Anelectric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars following one another, two mutually insulated feed sections, one for a. leading and the other for a following car, means for conveying electric current to the following feed section including an auxiliary resistance, means for normally maintaining a short circuit around said resistance, an electro-magnet adapted to open said short circuit when energized, and a circuit including the coils of said electro-magnet which circuit is connected with the leading feed section, sub: stantially as described.

12. An electric despatch system comprising in combination electric cars following one another, two mutually insulated feed sections; one for a leading and the other for following feed section, substantially as de- 10 a following car,- means for conveying elecscribed.

tric current to the leading feed section in- In testimony whereof, I afiix my signacludin'glglan auxiliary resistance, means fog ture, in presence ,of twofWitnesses.

5 norma y maintaining a short circuit aroun 1 said resistance, an electro-magnet adapted to V I JULES DESOHAMPS' open said short circuitiwhen energized, and Witnesses: v a circuit including the coils'of said electro- HANSON 0., Coxn, 'magnet which circuit i connected with the ALBERT NUNias.

' Copies of .this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents;

- v v Washington, I). C. 

